A tenant was driven to suicidal feelings from issues in her accommodation according to a Housing Ombudsman investigation, which found “critical” areas of concern at Sage Homes.
As landlord at the unnamed property, Sage Homes was found to have failed to “adequately address” a resident’s vulnerabilities and safeguarding concerns according to the Ombudsman.
Their resident, who struggled with both physical disabilities and mental health issues, reported water penetration issues on her patio from the balcony above her property as well as anti-social behaviour.
This led to suicidal feelings and a perceived lack of support, with the resident saying Sage’s lack of support had a “lasting impact on their mental wellbeing.”
In a wide-ranging review, the Ombudsman has provided 20 recommendations for Sage Homes to improve its safeguarding and vulnerability responsibilities as well as how it handles complaints.
Seventeen other residents were found to also have been impacted by these failings.
The Ombudsman has recommended Sage improve training for staff members interacting with residents, ensuring fair and equitable outcomes for all residents and enhance the visibility of service standards for these people.
In addition, it has also been encouraged to consider how it communicates and to scrutinise the way it makes decisions.
Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway thanked Sage for its “frank and open” engagement, but added: “While antisocial behaviour can be difficult to manage, our investigation shows that at no stage did the landlord or its agent recognise the health vulnerabilities of its resident which led it to miss several opportunities to act on safeguarding concerns.
The communication and engagement between the landlord and its agent at the time was also flawed and this compounded the impact on the resident.
“This complaint is a crucial reminder of how one resident’s experience can reveal wider issues that need to be addressed.”
“We are extremely sorry for these service failings, which fall well below the high standards we set ourselves and what our customers should receive,” said Mark Sater, CEO at Sage Homes.
“Following the Ombudsman’s investigation, we completed our own extensive review to ensure this does not happen again, resulting in the introduction of a number of significant changes including new and stronger policies and investing in a major operational restructure. This has brought all housing management services in-house, removing full reliance on third-party providers and allowing for better oversight and faster responses to addressing tenant concerns.”
He added: “We have also apologised to the customer in question on several occasions, as well as offering her an alternative home. However, she has declined this offer as she is now happy in her home.”
